


The Monster

by Kenjin



Category: VIXX, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Crying, Drinking & Talking, First Time, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Mild Smut, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Non-Graphic Violence, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-05-24 20:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 14,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6165004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenjin/pseuds/Kenjin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anyang is a strange city, quite unlike anywhere else in Korea. The citizens live in a small valley loomed over by an ancient mansion on a hillside, this mansion is feared and avoided by everyone who takes up residence. Children are taught from an early age to avoid the mansion, warned about the monster that lives inside. Seokjin remembers sneaking out with his friends at night to test their courage, who could get closest to the monster's home? Even well into their teens nobody had gotten close to the outer walls of the property before getting spooked and racing down the hill, back to the safety of their homes. </p><p>Now Jin stared up at the giant house, hands clasped tightly around the poles of the giant gates. He took a deep, steadying breath before pulling the gate open and walking to the front door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Anyang is a strange city, quite unlike anywhere else in Korea. The citizens live in a small valley loomed over by an ancient mansion on a hillside, this mansion is feared and avoided by everyone who takes up residence. Children are taught from an early age to avoid the mansion, warned about the monster that lives inside. Seokjin remembers sneaking out with his friends at night to test their courage, who could get closest to the monster's home? Even well into their teens nobody had gotten close to the outer walls of the property before getting spooked and racing down the hill, back to the safety of their homes.

Now Jin stared up at the giant house, hands clasped tightly around the poles of the giant gates. He took a deep, steadying breath before pulling the gate open and walking to the front door.

* * *

 

Kim Seokjin had been the second son of an affluent family and had lived a privileged life, going to only the best schools and being wildly popular thanks to his good looks and kind personality, but that life had shattered when he father had fallen ill when Jin was 15 years old. Within six months the rock of their family was gone and the family savings greatly depleted, Jin's older brother was already in university and his future success was important to the family, so that left Jin to help his mother at home. He had finished school two years ago and did odd jobs, mostly things that suited his personality like baby sitting and cleaning, for that time.

Jin was making his way home with a bag of groceries, taking the shortcut through an abandoned lot when he noticed a sheet of paper tacked to a wall, he stood for minutes gnawing at his lip and staring at the information listed under "CLEANER WANTED" before snorting and walking away, who pays that much for a cleaner? and who puts how much they'd pay a cleaner on a flyer? The address had been the final straw, it was unlikely the monster nobody had ever seen would be hiring a cleaner.

The flyers almost seemed to be following Seokjin around. He barely saw any in the rest of the city yet there were always at least three on any route he took to one of his jobs, it was starting to bug him, who would hate him enough to make a joke of his clearly unfortunate situation? It was horrible.

His latest babysitting charge had started school today, meaning Seokjin had lost another job and he was a little.. a lot stressed. There was still some years before his brother would be qualified and able to work and until then it was up to Jin and his mother, he glared at each flyer he stalked past before finally snapping, he pulled out a marker and scrawled across the paper "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS, MY LIFE IS NOT A JOKE!!" before kicking at the tree the paper was attached to and stomping away.

The next afternoon Jin strolled home, freezing mid-step in disbelief as he glanced at his defaced flyer, he approached and stared at the words scrawled underneath his messy ranting "I am not kidding Seokjin." Jin snatched the poster from the tree trunk and turned on his heel, marching all the way up the hill to the gates of the monster's mansion.

He stared at the giant house, all faded greens and mauves, towering into the clouds, his mind was racing with anger but the parental warnings from his childhood still flashed into his conscious. Jin rolled his eyes, surely if anyone even lived here they couldn't be a monster, monsters do not exist. He pushed open the gate and entered the yard.

He stalked up to the door before he lost his nerve and knocked, the sound reverberating through the porch. Jin waited.. nothing. He knocked again. After a few minutes he sighed and started to walk down the stairs, laughing quietly to himself. Of course there is no monster! God he's an idiot! He felt a chill down his spine as a melodic voice appeared out of nowhere behind him "Aren't you coming inside?" he spun around, almost falling down the rest of the stairs and stared wide-eyed at the man standing in the open doorway, hands behind his back.

He looked to be of similar age to Jin and was dressed very smartly in a pressed shirt, waistcoat and slacks, hair smoothed up away from his face, he smiled at Jin and extended his hand towards the house, silently inviting him inside, Jin took one final look at his face, quite handsome if he was being honest, and climbed the steps towards the supposed monster.

* * *

 

Jin jumped as the door shut behind them and whirled around to face the man, staring quizzically at his outstretched hand "For your coat?" "Oh!" Jin removed his coat awkwardly and placed it in the man's hands "What- What should I call you? ..If you don't mind?" the man turned to him "I am Jaehwan." "Okay Jaehwan-ssi, uh..you're not older than me, are you?" for some reason this made Jaehwan break into an amused smile "How old are you, Seokjin-ssi?" "I'm 20" "Ah, we are" his grin got bigger "the same age then" Jin stared at the giant hallway spread out in front of him "Do your parents own this house then?" Jaehwan's smile changed, became sad somehow "not anymore".

Jin didn't get a chance to enquire any further before he was ushered into a room off the entrance hall, directed to an armchair and sat across from Jaehwan, who leant back and rested his chin on his palm "So.. you need a job." Jin glared at him "I have a job, two actually." Jin could see him attempting to hide a smirk "You assumed my advertisements were a sick joke! You wouldn't have even read them if the jobs you have paid well enough." He leaned forward and looked at Jin with almost, pity in his eyes "It is well known that your family has struggled since your father passed" Jin wished he could set fire to this man with his eyes "Well everybody thinks you're a monster and is afraid of you! How would you even know what happened to my father!?" "I hear about everything that happens in this town" Jin rolled his eyes and spat sarcastically "What do you have supernatural hearing or something?" his laugh was caught in his throat as Jaehwan just shrugged and smiled at him "Will you take the job?"

Jin was stunned as he exited the house, late that night, job fully explained to him and a bundle of notes in his hand. He walked in a daze to his home, ignored his mother's yelling, thrusting the money against her chest and locking himself in his room, burying his head in his pillow and sobbing for hours until he tired himself out and fell asleep. Jaehwan stared out his bedroom window at the lone light left on in the town at this late hour, relieved that Jin's crying has stopped, now he can rest for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Seokjin bid Mrs Kwon goodbye and slung his backpack over his shoulder, walking down her street and making his way up the hill to his new job, he arrived at the door and knocked, once again getting no response. He sighed and tried the handle, the door easily swinging open and granting him access.

Jin stared around the large entrance hall, Jaehwan was nowhere to be seen so he placed his backpack beside the front door and opened the cupboard where the cleaning supplies were located, tying an apron around his middle and putting on rubber gloves.

He was trying to locate a faucet to fill up his bucket when he noticed two gleaming eyes staring down at him from the second floor "I see you've let yourself in, you learn quickly Seokjin." Jin could sense the amusement in his voice, he scowled "You shouldn't leave your door unlocked, what if someone broke in and tried to murder you??" Jaehwan leaned slightly further over the railing, his features becoming more apparent, Jin's breathing faltered at his dark expression "I don't think that will be a problem."

Jin avoided eye contact and hurried into the kitchen, closing the door quietly and sliding down the wood, placing his head in his hands. Why did he agree to this job? Jaehwan seems kind, but Jin was also pretty terrified of him. He wasn't surprised he had become the monster myth of this town. He took a deep breath and raised himself up, filling his bucket and starting his cleaning for the day.

* * *

 Jin jumped as a familiar voice rang out behind him "It's already dark Seokjin, what are you still doing here??" Jin dropped his brush in the bucket and pulled down a glove to check his watch: 9PM, he'd been here practically all day. "I guess.. I lost track of time? God." he stood up and started gathering his supplies, dragging them down to be put away.

He shut the cupboard door and came face-to-face with Jaehwan "Come on, you've done above and beyond your duty today, let me feed you."

"It will have to be soup, I'm afraid." Jin stares in horror at the few cans on almost-bare shelves "Why are you like this??" for once Jaehwan's perfectly put-together facade cracks as he spins around, alarmed, to look at Jin. Relaxing, he sees him open the fridge and look up with a horrified expression "There's nothing in here." Seokjin is incredulous and Jaehwan actually snorted at the stunned tone of his voice "I'm sorry, I don't have much of an appetite anymore." he poured the steaming soup into a bowl and gestured towards the table, he slid the soup towards Jin, watching him take in each mouthful with unusual interest, then ushering him out the door with another sizeable stack of money.

* * *

Jaehwan was alarmed by the sound of the door flinging open and sprung into action, gliding noiselessly along the corridors until he came across the silhouette of a human walking brazenly through his home, he reacted furiously, grabbing the person and pulling their head to the side by the hair, as items clattered to the ground around them "What are you doing here?" Jaehwan snarled in their ear "I'm so sorry! I know I'm a little early but I thought I could get a head-start on cleaning -the door was unlocked so I thought- I'm so sorry, I'll go." his anger immediately dissipated, Seokjin. It was Seokjin.

Jaehwan released his grip immediately, Jin crumbling to the floor, reaching for the fallen items with trembling hands. Jaehwan fell to his knees to help, guilt rising as his simple motion cause Jin's entire body to tense beside him "I apologise, I wasn't expecting you." Jaehwan suddenly noticed the package he was rolling around in his hands "You.. brought me food?" Jaehwan couldn't hide his smile "Well yes! Canned food isn't very good for you!! Too much salt." "Do- Do you want me to help you put it away?" Jin handed him a bag and headed towards the kitchen.

Jaehwan watched as Jin bustled around, organising things in cupboards and tutting as he stared into his fridge, grabbing a paper towel roll out of the bag and wiping down the shelves.

* * *

 "Jaehwan-ssi!!"

Jaehwan entered the room, a dreamy colour bouncing off the walls in the late afternoon sun, to find a table set out with different kinds of food, ornamental teacups he had no idea he owned and a teapot, steam flowing from either side of the skewed lid. "What is this?" Seokjin shuffled nervously "Well none of the food I brought you has been touched and so I thought.. we could have afternoon tea?" Jaehwan broke into a smile "Of course Seokjin, that was very thoughtful of you".

Jaehwan watched Jin pop some sort of dumpling in his mouth, closing his eyes as he chewed. It was very endearing. He nearly jumped out of his skin as he came out of his thoughts and realised Jin had caught him "You're staring." Jin said through a mouthful of food "Yes, I'm sorry."

Jaehwan was moving food around his plate with a fork, trying to hide the fact he wasn't eating when he thought of something "You have done a very good job of cleaning Seokjin, but surely you don't need to be here all day anymore?" Jin paused, fork half-way to his mouth "I'm sorry, did I overstay my welcome?" "No! No I like having you here" Jaehwan realised what he said and ducked his head, sipping at his tea before realised what he'd done, spitting it back into the cup and looking up to see if Jin noticed. The man was staring at him wide-eyed "You're.. weird." Jin peeled a crust off his sandwhich and nibbled on it, Jaehwan smiled to himself and put a fruit tart on his plate to crumble up.

_This became routine, Jin turning up from one of his two jobs, pottering around Jaehwan's house and making him afternoon tea. If he noticed Jaehwan didn't eat he never said anything, and it was worth pretending to see Jin enjoy food so much. Their conversations were interesting and often Jaehwan lost track of time, suddenly noticing it was dark and sending Jin home._

_He still listened out every night, pleased to note that Seokjin cried less and less._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah I've read this so many times I can't tell if it's good or not anymore. I'll probably be posting on Sunday's now guys! Thanks for all your nice comments so far, I'm glad people like Kenjin as much as me.


	3. Chapter 3

Jin smiled to himself as he rummaged through a basket of old, old looking clothes he'd taken out of the attic, his latest self-assigned project. Jaehwan had turned up a few minutes before, muttering about how the "lighting was favourable for reading in here", jin noticed that he'd often follow him around as he cleaned, half-heartedly doing things like reading, or writing with an absurd quill pen, but more often than not he'd be staring. At Jin. It should unnerve him but instead he found it sweet, Jaehwan never seemed to have visitors and Seokjin figured he was lonely.

Well that wasn't exactly true, he occasionally had an unwanted kind of visitor. Jin was leaving the mansion late one night when he came across a group of children, tense and whispering nervously amongst themselves. He watched them from the shadows as they made it to the gate, instead of touching it and running away screaming, as Jin and his friends had done, they slid between the bars of the gate and ran towards the house, opening packets of eggs and flinging them at the large doors.Seokjin was horrified and ran towards them yelling.

"IT'S THE MONSTER, JEONGHAN YOU SAID THAT WAS A MYTH" the young boys fled in all directions and Jin stared at the front of the mansion, horrified. He opened the door and dumped his bag, stalking straight to the cleaning supplies, an alarmed Jaehwan appearing from the basement "Seokjin, it's late what are you doing back here?" he slammed the closet door and stormed to the kitchen to fill a bucket "Kids are so disrespectful!! They defaced your house Jaehwan-ssi!" Jaehwan leaned against the kitchen island with an amused look on his face "Why are you so upset Seokjin? It was probably just.. eggs again right? It's just kids, it's fine" Jin whipped around, dropping his bucket and splashing water everywhere "It's not fine!! I.. I used to do the same thing, I used to come up here with my friends" his voice was getting quieter and quieter "to try and see the monster. But you're not a monster Jaehwan-ssi! You're a very nice person who doesn't deserve to be treated like this"

Jin was wiping at his face, oh god was he crying? Jaehwan's chest hurt as he stared at this man, before he knew what he was doing he had walked over, almost slipping on suds, and pulled Jin into his arms. Jin stood frozen for a few seconds until Jaehwan pulled away, keeping a hand wrapped around his arm and staring at him, Jin wrenched his arm from his grasp "I'll go start on the door.." he rushed out of the room and Jaehwan sighed and tapped his forehead with a pointy nail, at least he stopped him crying right?

It took an hour to scrub every last yolk off the front of the mansion, and Jin dropped his brush in the bucket, yawning. He poured the water off the side of the porch and took it inside, packing everything neatly away before picking up his backpack, his hand was on the door handle when a voice piped up behind him "It's very late Seokjin, I don't really want you walking home at this hour" he turned to stare at Jaehwan, perched on the staircase "Where.. would I sleep?" Jaehwan smirked "You've been in every room, you know how many vacant beds are in this place."

Jin got out of the shower and walked to the room Jaehwan had picked for him, closing the curtains on the window he'd scrubbed just weeks before, he stared around the room and noticed a pair of pyjamas, folded neatly at the foot of the bed, he climbed into the pants, buttoning the shirt and was just about to slide into bed when he had a thought, padding over to the door and locking it before snuggling under the covers and falling into a deep sleep.

This was the first of many times Seokjin slept in this room.

* * *

Jaehwan's ears were turned into Seokjin's voice, above all the others in this town, so he'd hear the exasperated tone, the screaming of Jin's mother and he'd make his way upstairs to stare out of the attic window, watching the tiny figure stomp his way through the town, people steering clear of his wrath, as he got closer Jaehwan could make out his face, lips pressed in a line and a glare that could probably kill someone. He watched him storm up the hill, into his yard and enter his house, slamming the door behind him.

Jin was violently moving things around in the cupboards, just for something to take his anger out on, when his arms were pressed to his sides and he was pulled into the centre of the kitchen, Jaehwan leaning his head against his back with his arms wrapped around him. Jin struggled for a few minutes, but Jaehwan was STRONG, he gave up and relaxed into his arms. "You're gunna stay here tonight okay?" Jin sighed and leaned backwards into Jaehwan "Okay".

Since Jaehwan had somehow figured out when Jin didn't want to go home, Jin had come to look forward to these nights. He'd uncovered an older model TV and fiddled with the plugs and dials until a picture came up and that was how they spent those nights. Seokjin would cook dinner, gobble his food down, much to the amusement of Jaehwan, before he slid his plate over and let Jin eat his portion. They'd sit in front of the TV, turned on but nobody really paying attention, Jin usually playing on his phone and Jaehwan pretending not to watch him.

Jin started locking his door less and less.

* * *

 Jin was awoken by a loud bang and clattering, he threw off the covers and ran out of the room, almost tumbling down the stairs and burst into the study, stopping abruptly and staring horrified.

Jaehwan was on his knees on the floor, fingers tightly gripped in a complete stranger's hair, his mouth was attached to the poor guy's neck as he kicked and flailed around. Jin watched as he reached out, knocking a stack of books off a table in desperation as his face lost colour. The unknown man slumped to the floor and Jaehwan removed his teeth (fangs??) from his neck, manoeuvring the man's head by his hair and staring at his face for moment, before dropping him with a thud against the wood floor. His eyes seemed to regain focus in moments and he noticed Jin standing in front of him, mouth gaping.

Jin sucked in a breath for the first time in seconds, eyes darting around the scene, he kept starting sentences but found himself unable to continue. "Seokjin.. please" Jaehwan reached out to him, blood sliding down the corner of his mouth.

That snapped Jin into action, he grabbed his backpack and was running down the hill before Jaehwan could move.


	4. Chapter 4

_Seokjin was never returning to that mansion and therefore had nothing to do today. So he refused to get up._

_He pretended he was asleep every time his mother came to ask him why he wasn't going to work and spent the rest of the time staring at the ceiling, thoughts racing. Jaehwan really was a monster, nobody was wrong._

Jaehwan stood at the front door, small drops of blood falling on his shirt, watching Jin run down the hill. He sighed and closed the door, walking back into the study. He stepped over the chaotic mess everywhere and hoisted the deceased man over his shoulder. He carried him to the basement and jammed the body inside the incinerator, lighting it and sitting against the opposite wall, watching it burn for a few minutes, before hoisting himself up and walking to the study, checking no blood had been spilled.

He closed the window the man had snuck through, locked his front door and returned to the basement, locking the door behind him. He always stuck close to the furnace whenever it was on, so he laid beside it, dropping off to sleep for hours until the body inside was nothing but a pile of ashes.

Jaehwan cracked open an eye and reached towards the furnace, it was stone cold, he hoisted himself up and pulled the tray from inside, leaving the house and walking into the forrest, scattering handfuls of ashes every so often. When he was done he left the grove of trees and stood beside his house, staring out over the town as the first rays of sun shone over it.

* * *

 

Seokjin had to leave the house the next day, to take Mrs. Choi shopping for the week, as he followed her around the store, pausing the cart so she could place four cans inside carefully, he had an awful feeling like he was being watched. The feeling continued as she paid for the groceries and as Jin carried the bags all the way back to her home.

Groceries put away, leaving the Choi home, Jin was lost. He stood at the end of the street, kicking at a stray pebble, this was the time he'd usually spend with Jaehwan. He didn't want to go home so he started walking towards the main street, stopping outside the public library, a cold feeling went down his spine again and he whipped around, scanning the entire space around him before laughing to himself, of course he's on edge after what he saw. He wandered into the building, intent of spending all afternoon there.

Jaehwan doesn't know why he chose to walk into the town this morning, or why he had been following Seokjin ever since, but it was eight PM and the library had just closed and he could see a silhouette he'd recognise anywhere slowly walking towards his home. He walked silently behind him, at a safe distance, only having to duck behind a bush once the whole trip to Jin's home. He watched him enter his home, and stood outside listened to the excuses he used "Yes Eomma, Jaehwan-ssi told me to come home early after I'd been up there so late last night" he escaped to his room as quickly as he could and Jaehwan heard him plop down on his bed with a sigh before leaving for his mansion.

* * *

 

This went on for a full month, the mansion felt too big, too quiet without Seokjin's pleasant singing and general noise, so Jaehwan took to following him around, to keep him safe. Whenever Jin would spent hours locked away in the library Jaehwan would chase down debts of the Kim family and pay them off, Jaehwan had a great deal of money and didn't want Jin to suffer. He would watch him go to a cafe and eat lunch, back to the library or to clean for Mrs. Kwon and follow him home. He'd return to the mansion and listen carefully, hearing him cry almost every night.

* * *

 

Jaehwan stayed home on weekends, the library was closed so Jin never went out. Jaehwan obviously wasn't paying attention, too busy writing, which is why he was so alarmed when he heard the front door fly open, slamming against the wall and a voice he'd never thought he'd hear address him again ring out throughout the house "Jaehwan come out here!"

He entered the front hall in record speed and was almost giddy to see Seokjin in his home again, but only for seconds before Jin was storming over to him, those fiery eyes burning as he stood toe-to-toe with him, poking him in he chest "I am not afraid of you Jaehwan-ssi" Jaehwan stared quizzically at Jin's finger, jabbing him painlessly in the chest "That's good Seokjin, I'd never hurt you" he let the last part trail off as Jin seemed to forget what he was doing, finger wavering mid-air before he regained his senses and glared at him "Why did you pay off all our debts?"

"If you weren't going to work here your family would struggle" "THAT IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS" the hand, still hovering in front of him seemed to want to punch him, almost connecting before limply sliding down his chest, Jin sounded defeated when he resumed talking "and you follow me every day." "You knew about that?" Jin nodded "I get a weird feeling every time you're around me, I guess because of.. what you are.. why though?" "Why?" "Why did you follow me?"

Jaehwan sighed, staring at the beautiful man in front of him "Because I wanted to make sure you were safe and.. I missed you too, I guess" Jin's face dropped and he turned on his heel, storming out the door and down the front steps, it was times like this Jaehwan was thankful for being faster than a regular human, he has descended on Seokjin in seconds, reaching out for him, snagging his wrist.

Jin turned and made eye contact with Jaehwan, whose eyes were terrified and shining. He stared as the pale hand grasping his wrist, white knuckled like he was afraid to let him go.

"Please don't go."

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is gunna be a few flashback chapters.. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL WHO'VE READ THIS SO FAR <3

_Jin lifted his teacup, still shaking slightly, hoping the warm liquid would calm his nerves. He sipped at his tea for a while before sighing, he couldn't put off the inevitable. "What are you??"_

_Jaehwan hadn't moved a centimetre so far, arranged in the armchair across from him in quite the same position as he had been on that first day, Jin would like to go back to that day, when he had no idea of this horrific side of Jaehwan's life and just thought of him as handsome and lonely. Jaehwan looked to be collecting his thoughts, moving his hand away from his mouth as if intending to speak several times before the words finally came "Will you even believe me if I tell you?"_

_Seokjin was fidgeting nervously, running a nail along the stitching in the chair "with-with what I've seen I don't really have much choice do I? Why did you hurt that man?" Jaehwan sighed "He was breaking in." Jin went over the moment in his head, it made sense, really. The man wasn't dressed like a passer-by and the room had been torn apart. "Did you have to.." the next word was whispered "Kill him though" "I'd rather feed on him than the innocent" Jin blanched at that word- feed. He made eye contact with Jaehwan for the first time since he tried to flee the mansion, prevented from doing so by a wrist, constricted in Jaehwan's grip "What are you then. Just tell me"_

Jaehwan was smart. His intelligence, and his parents fortune had allowed him to become a learned man. A professor of literature. Of course, somebody who loves prose so greatly will always be a romantic soul, this flair for the romantic was his downfall.

The year was 1945 and times were tough, the second great war had just ended and even Korea was affected. In smaller, less well-off areas the money drained quickly and many were struggling. When Jaehwan stumbled upon a man slumped over against a tree in a clearing outside of town, his heart broke. He rushed over to the pale man and lifted his head, he was ice cold and looked very unwell. He shook him gently until he slowly opened his eyes, Jaehwan smiled down at him, opening his mouth to enquire of the stranger's wellbeing when he was lurched at.

* * *

 

Jaehwan doesn't remember anything for a while after that, whether by choice or by design of the poison that flowed in his veins he didn't know. He only remembered waking up and stumbling home, a mild headache plaguing him. He entered his home, his mothering rushing to his side, crying. He had been gone for a whole month, they feared him dead.

Jaehwan was distracted though, there was an scent, it seemed to descend into his nostrils and shoot straight to his brain, not allowing him to think of anything else, he reacted on instinct, the screaming of his mother the only thing to draw him out of his stupor. Jaehwan recoiled in horror, snatching his hand away from his mother's throat and forcing himself away from her until his back hit the opposite wall. He stared at her horrified expression before a sob burst from him, he ran up the stairs and locked himself in his room.

He lies on his bed for days, without hunger or thirst, only this mind numbing scent providing him with any interest. It had been maybe two weeks since he found his way home and curiosity had finally gotten the best of him, he unlocked his door in the dark of night and followed the scent like a man possessed, until he found himself standing over his parents bed. He hovered over them quietly, sniffing until he found the source, the intoxicating smell was coming from his mother's neck.

Jaehwan recoiled and left the room, rushing noiselessly down the stairs and out of the home, falling onto the ground outside and retching, the lack of food the only thing preventing him from vomiting in disgust. He rolled onto his back and stared at the stars shining brightly over him as a single tear shed from the corner of his eye. The scent had returned and Jaehwan looked all around him, noticing two eyes glowing in the grove beside his home. He was barely aware he had moved until the fox was being held down by his hands and he was sinking his teeth into it's shoulder instinctively. He drained the animal and dragged its body into the forrest, leaving it in the dark and returning home. He could eat animals. This could work.

* * *

 

He began to test his powers, after he'd eaten he was supernaturally strong, he could hear for miles, into the next town over, he was fast and quiet, it was fascinating. The powers lasted less than a week when he drank the blood of animals, but he was unwilling to kill a human. So he captured animals from the forest, feeding often and relishing in his powers.

He continued his work at the university, not needing to sleep was a great advantage to his career, he was heading home late one night when he was alerted to screams that one wouldn't even need supernatural powers to hear at this hour. He entered the park in the centre of town, spotting a man trying to force himself on a young woman. Jaehwan was enraged and dragged the disgusting man off her, staring into her eyes and speaking softly only a single word "Go."

She fled out of the park and he stared around him, searching for witnesses, there were none. He dragged the man out of the park, and to the outskirts of town. He threw him on the ground and knelt beside him, letting the rage flow through him before he yanked his head back and sank his fangs into his neck, draining him completely. He used his vastly improved strength to carry him up the hill, hiding him in the forest.


	6. Chapter 6

_Jin reached over to pour more tea with increasingly unstable hands. Jaehwan grabbed at his wrists before he could stop himself, Jin is shiny-eyed and still looks utterly afraid, but isn't pulling away. "You" the word is a croaky whisper and he coughs before trying again "Y-you only kill to protect?"_

_Jaehwan dropped Jin's wrist, pouring out more tea for them both before continuing with his story._

Jaehwan wandered into town the next morning, ordering the incinerator that sits in the basement to this day, it wouldn't be delivered for a few days. He also purchased a saw, hidden inside his satchel all day as he taught.

That night he slipped out of the house once his parents were asleep. He dismembered the body, cutting it into manageable pieces and packing it into burlap sacks, hiding it under piles of leaves for later. He started to work on the garden in his spare time, giving himself a simple excuse for buying the incinerator.

It was delivered and installed when his parents were gone one afternoon, and that night he followed the store's directions carefully, burning a few pieces at a time with piles of garden waste. He pushed the head of this horrible man in last, moving to the opposite corner and turning his back to the metal box, turning his guilt to ash.

* * *

 

In the 1950's Jaehwan decided to move away for a while, studying and teaching from place-to-place. His lack of a need to sleep proved helpful, he learned many languages, studied philosophy and history, he picked up many hobbies over the years. He was almost grateful for this disease, he never aged, never got sick. He became more learned due to it. Yet at the end of it all, he still needed to murder to stay alive.

He discovered that the blood from one human could sustain him for up to four months. When he began to weaken he would head towards the center of Seoul, where debauchery and evil were more rife, usually over the course of a weekend he'd come across at least one man who was worthy of a death at his hands. He would leave the corpse to stray dogs or dump the wretch in the harbour for the fish to snack on. He had always moved on by the time they were found, if they were.

Apart from that he mostly kept to himself, never fostering a more than cordial relationship with anyone he encountered. It was easier this way.

* * *

 

In the 70's Jaehwan received word that his mother had fallen ill and he packed up his current life in Daegu and returned home.

He was shocked as he arrived at his childhood home. The paint had faded with the years, the grass knee high and bushes unruly. Guilt seeped through him as he pushed open the door with some effort, his footsteps echoing in the hall "Mum? ..Dad?"

"Jaehwan-ssi! You're home." he stared up at his father, on the second floor, leaning over the railing. A tear rolled down Jaehwan's cheek as he took in his father's appearance for the first time in year; his voice was raspy, he had wrinkles, was balding with grey hair, he was never this hunched over, he looked.. old.

He gestured Jaehwan towards him with a flick of his hand, he rushed up the stairs and was pulled into frail arms and he sobbed on his father's shoulder like he was a child again. When he had calmed down he was directed to his mother's bedside, she was even worse than his father, thin and pale, almost horrifying, really. He held her hand through that entire night.

He called in doctors the next day, her liver was failing and there wasn't much they could do. A liver transplant was an option but she was old and the list was long, they could only make her comfortable and see how long she would last. Jaehwan sat up with her most nights, chatting when she was feeling okay and couldn't sleep. Holding her hand, eyes never leaving her face on nights when she slept peacefully.

His mother lasted four more years, never really improving, but holding on.

A year before her death his father started getting forgetful. By the first anniversary of his wife's death he couldn't even remember getting married. He took care of his father until 1983, when he finally succumbed to Alzheimer's.

_Jaehwan was pulled out of his story by Jin rushing around the table and pulling him into his arms, holding him tightly. It was nice really, he hadn't been held by anyone like this since he returned home to his ailing parents, actually. Jin pulled back after a few minutes, wiping at his cheeks with his thumbs, Jaehwan reaching up and swiping at a tear, staring at it like it was a foreign object._

_Jin ran a hand along his cheek and Jaehwan could feel the warmth against his skin the entire time Jin cleaned up their tea things._

_Jin was suddenly beside him, snapping him out of his thoughts by pulling him out of his seat "You said.. that you don't need to sleep. But not that you can't?" Jaehwan sniffed a little "I can sleep, but it's only for, pleasure I guess- or out of boredom, maybe when I'm mentally exhausted I don't kno-" He was being led out of the kitchen, pushed up the stairs and into the room he still referred to as "Seokjin's". He allowed himself to be pushed onto the bed, crawling up to the pillows and settling in, he tensed as he felt Jin slide in behind him, both on top of the covers, and fling his arm over him, pulling them close together._

_It was nice though, being this close to a human again. Jaehwan found himself relaxing and finally drifting off._


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok there's only like two more chapters of flashbacks after this I swear. This became a giant thing I'm sorry I need to get it all out!!
> 
> Also there's a reference to suicide/self injuring in this chapter, if that's a trigger for you.

_Jaehwan woke to sunlight streaming through a gap in the curtains, raising his hand to shield his eyes. He froze as he felt arms tighten around him, last night flooding back into his mind. He had told Seokjin everything and he was still here.. in bed with him._

_Jaehwan turned in Jin's arms, and was trying to gently remove himself from their grip when Jin's eyes opened, he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and he batted his eyelashes, finally looking around in wonder, like he'd never woken up here before. Jaehwan watched every movement of his face with interest, suddenly becoming aware of his hand, resting on Jin's cheek, thumb stroking his soft skin "Good morning Jaehwan-ssi" he smiled at the pretty man in front of him "Good morning"_

After his parents died Jaehwan became reckless, willingly loitering around on weekends, looking for men acting badly and taking them out without a care. His standard for bad became much looser also, ranging from swearing to drunken fights with other men.

With the invention of modern media, his kind were being exposed all over the world. Jaehwan's lack of ageing and the regular disappearances in Anyang, growing bigger but still a small city, gained him more attention then he wanted.

He started to notice people walking on the opposite side of the road, women ushering children into their homes when he passed. People were afraid of him. But that was fair, he was a monster. Only one small supermarket, owned by a relative of a friend of his parents would sell to him anymore. It was exhausting.

* * *

The final straw came one clear night, Jaehwan was reading in his study, studying the languages of Europe, when he heard a crash and glass tinkling across the floor. Sighing, he made his way downstairs, approaching the clearly drunk man, trying to crawl through broken glass. He was trailing blood across the floor, but blood was easy for Jaehwan to resist by now, he lifted the inebriated man to his feet, smiling humourlessly as he started beating at Jaehwan's chest with weak fists.

"You killed my father, everyone knows it, everyone knows you're a murderer!!" he lunged for his throat, Jaehwan's back hitting the wall, his grip was quite firm, but his kind simply cannot die. He tolerated the squeezing until the man had tired himself out, slumping, with tears in his eyes, to the floor. Jaehwan lifted him, carrying him to the outskirts of town and leaving him there.

He returned to his home, cleaning up the mess. He swept the glass into a dustpan, scrubbed the blood from the wooden floors. Stared at the broken window for moments before deciding to leave it. He walked into the kitchen and pulled out the trashcan, he froze as he stared at the large chunks of glass her was about to dump into it. He picked up a particularly large shard before dumping the dustpan and it's entire contents into the bin.

He slid down the kitchen bench and pressed the point of the glass to his wrist, dragging it across his skin. He knew what he was expecting to happen and it was't a small indentation from the pressing, it wasn't absolutely nothing. His scream echoed through the house as he squeezed the shard to dust in his palm.

He left that night, taking nothing with him, escaping to Europe under the cloak of darkness.

_Seokjin sat across from his at his dining table, nibbling on a piece of toast, listening attentively to Jaehwan. As he got to a natural stopping point and let out a meaningless exhale Jin reached across the table for his hand, squeezing Jaehwan's fingers between his own "You've had a hard life Jaehwan-ssi" he gave his hand another squeeze before taking his plate over to the sink._


	8. Chapter 8

His misery followed him to Europe.

He would pick up a book only to have his eyes glaze over at the sight of the written word. With no ability to learn, he turned to drink.. discovering he couldn't get drunk, he couldn't solve his problems like his father's generation would have.

In France, on his way home from an unsuccessful experiment in drinking he came across a girl sitting on a bench, it was very late at night and Jaehwan was worried for her, so he slowly approached, squatting down at her side "Are you okay, Miss?" the girl looked at him, eyes glinting red in the streetlight, smiling at him "Ah, one of my kind!"

She was on her feet, wrapping cold fingers in his, pulling him along "Come with me, handsome, I'm hungry" "I -I won't help you kill. I don't believe in that." his wrist was dropped, the beautiful woman turning towards him, an amused expression on her face. She grasped the back of his neck with slender fingers and placed a kiss to his stunned mouth, running her lips down the side of his neck and sucking just above his shoulder, nuzzling against his neck moments later, sultry voice bleeding into his ear "I'm not hungry for blood, I'm hungry for _you_ "

Jaehwan found lust to be a lot like hunger, the one human pleasure a monster could still experience, the one longing that was able to be sated. It also became a suitable cure for his sadness, seeking out sexual affection in an attempt to avoid his feelings. In his years of the hunger he slept with men and women, human and otherwise, all a welcome distraction from his troubles. After around a decade his hunger was sated and he returned to his books and travels.

The innovations in travel meant he could go further, seeing the Americas, Australia. Going as far away from his home on the hill as he possibly could. It was a culture shock, his kind were more excepted in western countries, even becoming celebrities in the garish lights of Hollywood. He could walk the streets with his head held high, never treated different to any other person.

To this day he doesn't know what possessed him to return home. He was teaching in a university in Tokyo, content and happy. He stumbled across the name, Anyang. Immediately he was overwhelmed with memories, the smell of the bakery, the reeds at the pond in the park blowing in the breeze, the old house where his parents lived and died. He was ready to see it all again. So at the end of that school year he quit his job and returned to his birthplace.

He arrived home late at night and was absolutely stunned. Anyang had changed since he left, it had grown bigger, more populated. It was a city now. He marvelled at the new buildings, massive malls, actual skyscrapers popping up, the lights left on even into the early morning. This wasn't the town he was chased out of.

Climbing the hill, he stared up at the home his parents worked long and hard for, graffiti covering the front walls, every window on the bottom level broken, grass growing through the front porch. He sighed, wandering inside, deciding to deal with it tomorrow. He found the basement still locked, still looking as it had when he left, so he locked himself inside and fell into a fitful sleep.

_Jaehwan stared fondly at the man across from him, the story telling had stopped hours ago yet he was still here, slowly deciding which piece to move in their chess game. He kept the next part of his story to himself, not wanting to upset his friend._

It took him months to clean the mess and restock the house. Work finally done for the day, he would drop to the couch in the study, listening to the voices of the town, an auditory version of people-watching. He heard the usual: Drunken fights, sleepy murmurs, lovemaking. But one prevailing voice would ring out above all others, the voice was lyrical, sweet, the voice was young, yet awake at midnight every night, praying. Jaehwan seriously doubted if a deity would be listening, but he certainly was.

"Hello, God? My grandma said you help in situations like this.. My Dad is very sick. I was hoping, well.. could he be fixed? I don't want him to die."

"God it's me again, he's sicker, why aren't you answering me?"

"God, I don't want him to be like this anymore.. don't try to save him anymore okay? He's suffering."

"God it's Seokjin again.. Thank you for finally listening.. Thank you for ending his suffering."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I think that's it for the flashbacks. Now I have to actually carry on the plot! Omg!! 
> 
> I hope you've liked it so far, thanks for reading!!


	9. Chapter 9

_Things went back to surprising normality after that. Jin would turn up every day, even when he wasn't needed, and potter around Jaehwan's house. He'd breeze through the door, smiling at Jaehwan, always waiting for him, before climbing the stairs to god knows where, Jaehwan had found him stretched out on "his" bed one time, fast asleep._

Jin had turned up a few weeks ago with a curiosity. He had been wiping down the benches as Jaehwan sat at the kitchen table, watching him disinterestedly. Jin was staring into space when he suddenly made a surprised squeak, rushing out of the kitchen and returning with a shiny box resting in his hands. He looked almost nervous, sliding into the seat next to Jaehwan. "Books say vam-your kind.. can't be photographed. Is that true?" Jaehwan pondered that question, tapping long nails against the wood tabletop.

"I've never tried to be honest? When the opportunity came up I avoided it, just incase, well.. the myths were true." Jin turned the box over in his hands and Jaehwan stared at the glinting object with curiosity "should-should we try? This camera is digital.. if you don't appear I can delete the photo and no harm will be done."

Jaehwan shrugged, gesturing his consent, posing himself in the wooden chair, sitting awkwardly as Jin raised the camera to his face. The flash stunned him slightly and he waited as Jin pressed buttons on the camera, bright smile appearing on his face "You're on here, Jaehwan-ssi!!" he turned the screen towards Jaehwan, and he stared at himself, still looking as he had the day of his death.

* * *

Now Jaehwan stared at the array of glossy photos spread out across the desk in his study, handed over to him by Jin as he'd come bustling in to his house like a whirlwind this morning. Pictures of him, nice ones and silly ones, Jaehwan going cross-eyed or poking out his tongue to make Jin giggle. There were also many of them together, sitting side-by-side on the couch, Jin's arm around him, taken in a single afternoon.

Jaehwan had searched the attic this morning, finding an ornate empty frame, he picked up a picture that had been an accident, him smiling at the camera while Seokjin looked at him, eyes shining, hand over his mouth as he laughed at something he had said seconds before. This picture was the one he deemed perfect.

He slid the metal tabs back, releasing the back piece of the frame, sliding the photo inside and sealing it in there. Giving it pride of place in the center of his desk. Sliding a finger over Seokjin's beautiful face, protected behind a sheet of glass. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind comments so far! I Appreciate every one. I'm so shocked and happy that other people enjoy Kenjin as much as I do.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this is all over the place I'm sorry!! I'm trying to get this done by July! No promises though.

He gathered up the other photos, flicking through them as he thought about all the years he'd heard Seokjin cry and fight, heard his life fall to pieces, his loneliness and isolation almost tangible. He spent years trying to piece Jin's life together, listening in to the gossip that spread throughout the town. He was desperate to understand why Jin was stuck, why he was miserable. He was desperate to help.

It took five long years, until he heard a fight between Seokjin and his mother, Jin yelling hysterically about having to put college on hold and Jaehwan knew exactly how he could help, with money. Since returning to Korea he had been very indifferent to the state of his home, but looking around he could see he could use a cleaner. He devised a plan.. a plan that had worked out great for him, as evidenced by the beautiful man, rushing into his study as he slid the photos into their protective envelope.

"Look Jaehwan-ssi! Look at this game, it's ancient!!" he held out the box, gleaming triumphantly at his find, Jaehwan couldn't help but smile back at him "Do you wanna play Seokjin?"

The spread the faded monopoly board across the coffee table in the lounge, Jaehwan watching on fondly as Jin's eyes lit up as he ran his fingers over the old paper money, and weighted the metal pieces in his hand. Handing Jaehwan the top hat while he took the dog.

* * *

_A new development was the touching, their mentally exhausting night seemed to have broken down a wall between them. Seokjin would squeeze his arm in greeting, hug him before he'd leave, snuggle against him as they watched TV. He'd turned up after a mentally exhausting day and fell into Jaehwan's arms, letting him hold him for minutes, stroking his hair and nuzzling cheeks together._

Seokjin seemed distracted as they sat on the sofa, gnawing on his lip as the TV gave out background noise. He suddenly jumped into action, sliding down the couch towards Jaehwan "I want to try something" Jaehwan swallowed nervously, reply barely heard above the laugh track on TV "Okay."

Jin was swinging a leg over his lap, digging fingers into his neck, slowly drawing their faces together. He could feel Jin's warm breath fan over his lips "Is-is this okay?" Jaehwan gave a small nod and Jin pressed their mouths together.

As the sun began to fall behind the mountains, Jaehwan pushed Seokjin against the couch, crashing their lips together for the umpteenth time.


	11. Chapter 11

****Jaehwan hovered outside a door he had kept locked for generations. Staring at the brown stained wood as he heard Jin bustling up the steps, dumping various supplies on the floor. "Are you ready Jaehwannie??"

He tries to calm himself by controlling the breathing he doesn't actually need to do. He suddenly finds himself in front of the door, inserting the key. He can swear he hears every movement of the mechanism as he twists the key, the metal coming to a standstill and he's reaching for the knob with a quivering hand.

Like a band-aid as they say, he pushes the door open before he can change his mind. A sob wracking his body as he was bombarded by familiar smells, comforting reminders of what he had, twenty odd years ago.

He felt arms snake around his middle, Seokjin leaning a plush cheek against his shoulder "Do you want to continue??" Jaehwan nodded, but stood still, eyes darting around a room he'd all but blocked out of his memory. Jin's fingers never stopped moving, stroking his arms, rubbing his back, pulling him closer and closer until Jaehwan let out a massive exhale "Okay, let's go."

They sat on the floor surrounded by his parent's items, full rubbish bags surrounding them like a fortress. He really thought this would be harder, or sadder. But as he looks through tangible examples of his parents existence he finds himself smiling, relaying funny stories about their lives to Seokjin.

Jin squeezed closer to him, staring at the few photos he had of himself as a child "Oh you were cute Jaehwan! Look at you" he strokes a finger along the frame, as if across his chubby young cheek before reaching up to stroke the real, adult version beside him "Very precious."

"And then we found out Riley had been taking all the cans out of the pantry and hiding them under the house!!" Jaehwan leaned back against his parent's bed, cheeks flushed from good memories and laughing. Jin smiled down at him, perched on a chair he'd dragged up from the kitchen, removing spider webs from corners.

As it got dark they closed up the room, Jin slumping at the kitchen table as he stuffed his mouth with noodles, Jaehwan watching him across the table. When everything was clean in the kitchen he was making his way to the front door, ready to see Jin off when a hand held him back "I'm staying Jaehwan-ssi. Let's go to bed."


	12. Chapter 12

Jaehwan heard someone approaching the house, footsteps crunching on the dying grass. Yet it was still a surprise when the door swung inwards, handle hitting the wall with a thud, shattering the peaceful silence of the night.

He was up and bursting into the front hall in seconds, his eyes quickly darting to the ornate clock that Jin had managed to restart just days before, eyes then landing on his intruder. He grinned to himself at the use of that word, _intruder,_ he knew who would be standing there, and so it was: Jin. No more of an intruder to this house now than he was.

“It’s eleven at night Seokjin, what’s happened?”

Jin stood huffing in the doorway for a few moments before shuffling towards Jaehwan, movements sluggish, and practically falling into his waiting arms. He rubbed his face against the thin cotton of Jaehwan’s well-worn shirt, fingers clutching the material.

Jaehwan rubbed his back, until he felt Jin relax, pulling away slightly and resting his cheek against the cloth

“Are you okay?”

Jaehwan wasn’t sure he would get a response, but after a few minutes he heard a sigh, muffled slightly against his chest. Jin replied, voice small and pitiful “Just a bad day, I need you”

_I need you_

Jin clambered onto the bed, dragging Jaehwan down on top of him, littering his face with kisses.

“Jin”

Seokjin pressed their lips together, trailing kisses down his neck, feigning ignorance.

“Seokjin, what’s wrong”

Jin pushed Jaehwan off him, he landed on his back, bouncing against the mattress. Jin wasted no time; throwing a leg over his hips, straddling his lap and staring down at him. The look on his face was one Jaehwan knew well: the ‘I will not be defied’ look.

He began to grind against Jaehwan for good measure, replying slightly breathlessly “I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to be close to you Jaehwan.” Jaehwan was surprised by the moan pouring out of his mouth, completely unintentional.

Jaehwan’s fingers toyed with the hem of Jin’s shirt as his mind whirred. He sat up, drawing Jin close to him, face-to-face. He ran his fingers over Jin’s nape, pulling him in for a gentle kiss “Have you done this before?”

Jin hesitated, gnawed on his lip, which said it all “But you want to?” a shy nod. “With me?” a more insistent nod. Jaehwan thought it over for a few more minutes, massaging Jin’s neck with his fingers before he came to a conclusion “Okay.. Okay.”

Jaehwan ran his fingers under Jin’s shirt, well worn and slept in, he slowly dragged the material up Jin’s torso, unable to stop himself placing kisses against the exposed skin. Jin raised his arms, allowing Jaehwan to rip his shirt off and fling it across the room.

He leaned back slightly, taking in the man before him. Jin was broad and well-muscled but still soft, with a subtle layer of fat over his bones. Jaehwan reached out a finger, watching it sink just slightly into Jin’s flesh before running his hands appreciatively over soft skin “You’re beautiful Seokjin.” Jaehwan murmured, attaching his mouth to Jin’s warm skin, sucking a large bruise over his heart as he toyed with the zip on his jeans.

* * *

Jin was wrecked by the time Jaehwan had three fingers inside him; Hair messy from being rubbed against the mattress so many time, cheeks flushed, moans being let out every few seconds as nimble fingers provided constant stimulation to his prostate. Jaehwan pulled away, grinning as Jin whined, letting out the tiniest “please” under his breath.

Jaehwan pressed a kiss to Jin’s inner thigh, smiling against the skin as Jin wriggled around impatiently. He was stalling for time, not wanting to force Jin into anything he wasn’t ready for. Jin, however was insistent, noticing Jaehwan’s reluctance and sitting up, deftly undoing buttons and touching and kissing the newly uncovered skin.

Jaehwan tried to keep a clear head, which was difficult with Jin’s general proximity and the motions of his tongue over Jaehwan’s erect nipple “You’ve- You’ve gotta tell me what you want Seokjin. What do you want.”

Jin ran distracted finger over his chest, skirting under his belt, murmuring “You.” so quietly Jaehwan almost didn’t catch it.

He smiled to himself “What do you want from me?”

Jin sat up, looking directly into Jaehwan’s eyes, determination painted across his face “I want you inside of me, Jaehwan-ssi”

Jaehwan reacted immediately, completely done with teasing and skirting around the issue, pressing Seokjin into the mattress, crashing their lips together.

* * *

Jaehwan lay on his back, Jin’s naked warmth pressed into his side, his leg slung over Jaehwan’s thighs.

He should feel bad. He should feel awful for taking away any innocence this man had left.

But he didn’t.

He could hear Jin’s blood coursing through his veins, feel his heart speed up as Jaehwan ran his fingers through his hair. He puled Jin’s beautiful face towards himself, kissing him hungrily.

**He wanted to be like this forever.**


	13. Chapter 13

Summer hit Anyang, the hottest for many years, so the reports say.

Jaehwan isn’t really bothered by changes of weather any more, with his condition, but Jin’s irritability was rubbing off on him, making him snappy and low on energy.

Jin arrives earlier and earlier, ‘beating the heat’ (or so he says.) He shuffles through the house pulling windows open, turning on fans and doing any minor chores that he deems necessary before sitting in front of the powerful fan Jaehwan brought and left in the attic for Jin to find for the rest of the day.

Jaehwan can hear Jin grumbling his way around the house, and he notes with interest he cares so dearly for this man he even finds his complaining endearing, setting the book he was reading onto his lap as he hears Jin approaching the lounge.

Jin shuffles through the open door, flicking the switch on the box fan and flopping down in front of it, cheek pressed against the hardwood flooring. He had fallen asleep in that position before so as his silence grew longer Jaehwan returned to his book.

Jin ran a nail along the groove between floorboards, feeling a slight breeze. He pressed his palm against the space. Definitely a breeze. “The cellar!”

Jaehwan quirked an eyebrow “The.. cellar?”

Jin seemed fairly excited now “It’s underground.. it’d be cool right?”

* * *

As Jaehwan fumbled with the door he felt almost.. nervous? This had been _his_ space since his parents were alive, it felt almost too intimate to have another person enter.

They made their way down the stairs, the air was dense, dark.

Jaehwan reached for the light switch and the room lit up, boxes piled haphazardly around every wall.

“Wow.. Jaehwan-ssi.. this is a lot!”

He smiled to himself, Jin was _still_ trying to be polite, even after all this time. “We don’t need to organise anything if it’s too much? We can just hang out down here..”

“No! No. I like a challenge but..” Jin voice quietened “Can you stay down here?”

Jaehwan found his shyness sweet, his wry smile giving him away, Jin saw and quickly started making excuses “I mean, this stuff is probably important to you, right?? I wouldn’t want to thro-”

He was interrupted by Jaehwan pulling him into his arms, pressing their lips together “I’ll stay.”

* * *

 He’d offered to help but Jin swore all he needed was his yay or nay on items, so he sat on the bottom step, watching Jin sort through items.

With nothing to occupy his mind Jaehwan couldn’t help but notice how Jin looked today. He was wearing a loose white tshirt, glued to his back with sweat-providing an opaque view of his muscles and tight, _short_ shorts. Every time he placed a box on the floor Jaehwan got a very interesting eyeful.

“Jaehwan.. JAEHWAN-SSI” he snapped out of his reverie about _Jin’s hair sticking to his forehead like when they made love_ to consent to an item being disposed of before going back into his mind.

“What are you thinking about?”

Maybe the heat _was_ getting to him.. he hadn’t even noticed Jin leave the boxes, or move beside him. He was sitting so close, head on Jaehwan’s shoulder as inappropriate thoughts continued to swirl around his mind.

He lolled his head to the side, faces so close they were sharing breath. “You. I could eat you up Seokjin.”

Jin smiled at him, raising an eyebrow “Why don’t you?”

Jaehwan pounced, gripping Jin’s upper arms, crashing their lips together, Jin opened up to him in seconds, letting Jaehwan lick into his mouth.

He was in a daze. Kissing Jin always felt good but this was something else. His head was spinning.

Slowly Jin’s noises made their way into his conciousness, they were not sounds of pleasure. His eyes popped open, staring directly into Jins; round, panicked and afraid.

He became aware of what he tasted. Blood. Jin’s blood.

He gently removed his fangs from Jin’s lip, licking over the blood pooling, healing the wound almost instantly.

He shuffled away from Jin on the step, back hitting the rail, mind racing with the gravitas of what he had done. He felt rage seer through his body, he was disgusted with himself.

He flung himself off the step, kicking a box of items clear across the room. He growled, turning towards Seokjin who cowered away from him.

He snatched up Jin’s wrist, dragging him up the stairs and out the front door. He returned indoors, coming back with his backpack, shoving it against his chest and pushing him.

Jin barely stumbled and he took some solace in that, Jaehwan wasn’t using his full strength. Jaehwan wouldn’t hurt him.

Before he could open his mouth Jaehwan shoved him again, causing him to trip backwards down the stairs and land with a thud on the crunchy dead grass.

“Leave here Seokjin. Leave and don’t you dare come back.”

Jaehwan’s eyes were cold, staring at him in a way Jin had never experienced, he didn’t try to get up. Jaehwan turned and went inside, slamming the door behind him, a single tear trickling down Jin’s cheek as he heard the locks click.


	14. Chapter 14

Jin rubbed at his aching elbow before springing to his feet, dashing up the steps and throwing himself at the door “Jaehwan! Jaehwan it was a stupid mistake. Let me in!! Lets talk about this okay??”

He slapped his palms against the door, a few minutes passing with no response.

His body, already aching from his tumble down the stairs, caused him to be sluggish as he picked his way down the hill in the dark, the sun leaving as they packed up the room.. while they’d kissed.. before a mistake had been made.

  
It was kind of frightening, walking the dark streets of Anyang. Jaehwan always insisted he didn’t, and if he’d had to Jin knew Jaehwan would always be listening, that he’d always protect him.

He couldn’t know any more.

He found the door was still unlocked when he arrived home, his mother reading the paper at the kitchen table. He pushed aside any guilt, any wonder _if she_ _waited for him_ _every night_. He wanted nothing more than to climb into bed and feel sorry for himself.

He flicked on the bathroom light, stalking to the mirror and staring at himself. His lip looked normal; pink, plush and unmarred. There was no blood, no pinprick holes, nothing to indicate the catastrophic night he’d just had.

He took care of his skin and brushed his teeth before dragging himself to his room and falling onto his bed, laying on top of the covers, letting himself succumb to sleep.

It turns out his mother _was_ waiting for her son. But not him. His brother had arrived home sometime after Jin went to sleep and it was the perfect distraction right now.

His mother spent the day gushing over her university student son, his brother relished in being spoiled after such a long time and Jin was able to hide out in his room, only leaving for bathroom breaks.

Jin lay awake in his room. It was late, well past midnight and he couldn’t sleep. He rolled off his mattress and searched his bedside table for his house keys. His fingers brushed the cold metal and he snatched them into his palm before making his way quietly out of the house.

* * *

He stared at the green paint of Jaehwan’s front door for minutes before steeling his nerve and knocking, politely. Nothing.

His knocks become louder and more frantic as time went on. He finally gave up, sliding down the door onto the wooden boards, muttering uselessly “Jaehwan.. please.”

In the silence of the early morning he heard it, as if on loudspeaker: footsteps. Jin listened curiously as they got quieter and quieter as Jaehwan walked away from him. He pressed his forehead to his knees, staring into the darkness his curled-in body had created.

By the time he looked up it was the dull, dishwater colour of morning, just before the sun appeared.

He snuck back into his home, being as quiet as humanly possible, almost succeeding in not being caught, his bedroom door in sight for a few seconds before he ran head-first into his brother.

“Seokie.. what are you doing up this early?” Jin stuttered and stumbled, his sentences incoherent. He jolted as his brother pressed a hand to his cheek, brushing at tears Jin didn’t know were there. “Why are you crying??”

Hyungjin wrapped his arm around his brother’s shoulders, pulling him into his bedroom and steering them both to sit on his bed.

Jin couldn’t speak through his tears, opting instead to stare around his brothers room. It looked exactly as it had when he’d left, and it filled Jin with some kind of comfort, calming him down enough to speak

“Thank you”

“For what”

“For not asking questions..”

His brother was smiling beside him, he knew it. But he couldn’t care right now. He felt a comforting hand on his back and he nuzzled into his Hyung’s side, into the familiar warmth of his sibling.

Later on as they relaxed, drifting off to sleep in Hyungjin’s bed, Jin heard a whisper against his ear “You can tell me, you know? I won’t judge you..”

Jin hummed in response before letting sleep take him.

He blocked out any thoughts of Jaehwan for the next few days, enjoying his brother’s company, enjoying his mother being calm and loving, enjoying being almost a proper family again.

* * *

They sat around the dinner table on Hyungjin’s last day at home, Jin nearly toppling his entire plate as Hyungjin offered to take him to a bar, in front of their mother.

Jin stared at his mother cautiously, out of the corner of his eye, but she was beaming, seemingly thrilled with the idea of her two sons bonding. As soon as dinner was done she ushered them off

“...without asking for help with cleaning up or anything!”

“Honestly Seokie, the fact you are so stunned by that makes me even sorrier I left you in her clutches.” Hyungjin grinned at him as they headed towards a bar in the centre of the city.

His brother pushed a beer and a shot of soju in front of him “live a little huh?” Jin picked up the shot, pouring it down his throat, coughing slightly as it went down.

Plied with alcohol Jin felt braver, yet less strong. When his tipsy brother leaned over the sticky table he knew he wouldn’t, couldn’t, didn’t want to hide the truth from him any more.

“What’s happened bro? Mum told me you’re never home lately and you seem pretty miserable.. what’s going on?”

Jin gulped down another mouthful of beer, before words were spilling out of his mouth “I got a job with Jaehwan-ssi- He’s the monster! Can you believe it? He really exists.. but he’s not a monster.. not really.”

His brother’s face screwed up as he slowly processed the information. “Okay, okay yeah.. so, why are you upset?”

Jin’s eyes drifted to a group of businessmen, being loud and inappropriate. He played with his drink, putting off the inevitable. Hyungjin didn’t push, didn’t change the subject. He only waited.

“I-I guess over time I enjoyed spending time with him...I avoided coming home if I didn’t feel like it- I’d stay there with him. In his spare room! Of course!! and he was kind to me and.. I see why people are scared.. he can be scary..”

“Jin”

“I know! I know okay.. Okay.. I started to feel things about him.. things that wouldn’t go away, not even when I knew the bad parts of him. I love him.. I love another man okay!” Jin’s voice trailed off, quietly tacking “Please don’t tell Mother.” to the end of his sentence.

He refused to make eye contact, staring at the napkin he was tearing in his lap instead. Nothing was said for what felt like decades, he hazarded a peek at his brother before both eyes bounced to his face.

His brother wasn’t upset, he didn’t look angry, or upset. He was just.. waiting. “What happened then”

“We kissed.. we’ve had sex”

“And…?”

He stared at his brother in disbelief. Why wasn’t he angry?? “And what?”

Hyungjin snorted “Why are you upset??”

“OH! Oh! He kind of.. bit me?” ignoring the baffled question ‘bit you?!?’ Jin continued on, knowing if he didn’t he’d never say it “And it upset him.. and he kicked me out of the house, just before you arrived.. and now he won’t let me back in or respond to me or anything.. and it’s probably for the best I guess.. two men together would be frowned upon in Korea-"

“Jin”

He snapped his mouth shut, realising he’d been rambling. His brother drank for a few moments, before placing his glass against the table and staring at him.

“Jin, if this.. Jaehwan.. makes you happy you should go for it. Fuck what anyone else thinks okay?? I stranded you here with our mother and I know she’s not easy to live with, right?” Jin nodded his head, just slightly. “So if you’ve found some happiness in this shitty city go for it alright??”

Jin sat stunned, staring at his brother. His words tumbled around Jin’s alcohol-addled mind before becoming clear. He smiled across the table “Okay. Okay I will”

The next morning they both crawled out of bed late, Jin helping his brother rush around finding last minute items before the dashed towards the station, arriving just in time for the next train.

Just before Hyungjin left he pulled his younger brother into a hug, speaking softly into his ear: “Go back and make it work. Be happy okay??”

Jin nodded as Hyungjin pulled away, rushed onto the train and took a seat beside a window close to where Jin was waiting, giving him a thumbs up before vanishing out of sight.

Jin spent the rest of the day in bed, wicked hangover not helping his restless mind. Night fell and he came to a decision as the clock flicked over to 4:13AM. Leaping out of bed Jin left his home, making his way up the hill again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're approaching the end guys, I'm excited!


	15. Chapter 15

As always Jaehwan heard Jin approaching and was waiting on the other side of the door as he knocked. He pressed his palms to the wood, squeezed his eyes shut as his knocking got more hysterical, more panicked.

Jin’s disheartened voice cut through his soul, he wavered between his choices for seconds before pushing himself away from the door, away from Seokjin. He headed towards the attic, locking himself in.

Jaehwan sat on the stairs in his basement hideaway, staring out of the small porthole window at the clouded over, starless sky.

He tried to ignore the strange pull he felt to the man he knew was still sitting on his front porch. He didn’t realise how pointedly he had to ignore him until he heard the tell-tale sounds of Jin picking his way down the hill.

Staying still until he was sure he had gone, until the sky was blue, the sun was out. He rushed out of his home, taking the long way out of Anyang.

Jaehwan made his way to Seoul.

* * *

Jaehwan must be suffering some kind of overdose. He had found (or created, he really couldn’t tell) and drained so many scoundrels that he felt drunk, head spinning and mind fuzzy.

He stumbled into a park, collapsing onto a bench. The sky was dark and streetlights were lit. Jaehwan’s head lolled against the back of the bench, trying to focus on the smog rolling overhead.

Trying to focus at all.

“Are you okay??” his head snapped into proper position, glaring at the woman standing nearby “You don’t look well baby” she appeared behind him, hands running down his lapels, over his chest “maybe we could get a room together, I could make you feel better”

There was blood running in her veins, that was enough to draw Jaehwan to his feet with remarkable speed, he was at her side in seconds, backing her against a nearby tree.

He was pressing their lips together before he noticed, growling, repulsed at her. _She wasn’t Jin_.

He grasped at her hair, pulling her head back, exposing her neck, staring at the exposed flesh in awe.

His eyes involuntarily moved to her face, her horrified expression. His grotesque face mirrored in her eyes.

He released her, moved away, reaching in his pocket for handfuls of money, he thrust the notes at the woman before stalking away.

He awoke in an alley several days later. He was jostled out of his bloodlust, his hazy sleep, by a face, haunting his dreams.

Kim Seokjin.

* * *

He made his way home with no great haste, delaying the inevitable. Unsure if he could even return to the way things were.

Jaehwan was so absorbed in his thoughts he didn’t even remember arriving in Anyang, only coming to when someone grabbed his arm.

Jaehwan allowed himself to be spun around. A collection of the old families from his town surrounded him.

Cha Minju, the man who’d broken into his house many years before, seeking revenge. The man whose father he had murdered, was digging his fingers into the flesh of his arm, harmlessly, of course. But the sentiment was all too clear to Jaehwan.

“Seokjin is dead, Jaehwan.”


	16. The end.

Jin woke up in the familiar room, his room at Jaehwans. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, staring through the open curtains, over the town he grew up in. A town he loved for bringing him to Jaehwan, and hated for the same reason.

He padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, peeking in the cupboards, pleased to find them mostly stocked. He fished out a box of cereal and arranged himself in the living room, resigned to stay here as long as it takes.

 

“Seokjin’s dead??” Jaehwan’s mind reeled as he tried to process this information. He’d only been gone for a week! How could this happen?

“Don’t play dumb with us.. You killed him!”

“I wasn’t here.. I couldn’t have..”

“I know what you are Jaehwan.” his lack of honorifics grating on Jaehwan’s last nerve “I’ve known since my father disappeared, Jin has been missing for days, before he disappeared he told his brother about you.”

Jaehwan knew where this was going, and Minju creeping close as he spoke confirmed it.

He turned and fled from the scene, knowing the humans had no way of catching him. It didn’t prevent them from following though, spitting insults at his back.

Jaehwan reached his fence, foregoing opening the gates for just scaling the bars, it took longer than anticipated, giving the crowd time to gather, they stilled as they watched him climb the fence in an animalistic fashion

The last thing Jaehwan heard as he reached his front door was Minju vehemently defending himself, the group now in complete agreement: This man wasn’t human.

 

He was perplexed when his door swung in, not locked and barely latched.

He walked quietly into his home, shutting the door noiselessly and attempting to click the locks into place as quietly as possible. He stared around, listening for the tell-tale signs of another human, hearing exactly that in the kitchen.

He debated between confronting the intruder and locking himself in the basement until the mob lost interest. He agonised over it for seconds before deciding that he had nothing to lose, stalking towards the kitchen, prepared to let out his grief on whoever was in there.

He arrived in the doorway, fangs exposed, shoulders squared when suddenly all fight drained from his body.

He assumed the tears in his eyes were affecting his vision, the person standing at the sink, back facing him looked a lot like Jin.

He didn’t believe it even as he rubbed his eyes, even as the man turned towards him, it was just his grief-addled mind making things up. He stuttered as the man came towards him, he still looked like Jin. He couldn’t be Jin. Jin was...

“You’re dead Seokjin.”

He was trying to organise his thoughts, backing himself against a wall. Nowhere to run to. It was as if he was encountering an actual ghost, the beautiful man approached him in awe, in slow motion, his palm sliding along Jaehwan’s cheek.

The palm was warm and soft, and human. Jin was human, he was alive.

Jaehwan sagged against the wall, letting Seokjin draw him into his arms.

Jin’s voice was garbled with emotion as he murmured into his hair “You left me”

“I shouldn’t have.”

“You’re my happiness Jaehwan-ssi. I won’t let you leave me again”

Jaehwan smiled against his shoulder “I won’t leave again”

“Promise?”

He leant back, staring into his deep brown eyes “I promise.”

The mob broke down the mansion’s door to find Jaehwan cradling Jin like he was precious, Jin;s fingers combing through Jaehwan’s hair as they kissed.

 

Jin ignored his mother’s screaming as he zipped his suitcase, looking around his room for a final time, making sure he hadn’t left anything important in a drawer before flinging open the door.

His mother recoiled for barely a second before following him down the hall, demanding he apologise, demanding he stay.

Jin reached the front door and turned to her, pulling her into a hug that seemed to shock her into silence “Mother, Hyungjin finishes school in six months, and I will take care of you until then.. but I won’t stay. I’ve stayed long enough.”

He kept a palm on her shoulder just long enough to survey her face, before releasing her and walking out the door.

His suitcase listed from one wheel to another down the uneven path, he walked up to the singular tree that remained on their street, smiling at the figure leaning against it.

Jaehwan pushed away from the trunk “You ready?”

Jin nodded, allowing Jaehwan to pick up his suitcase, as if it weighed nothing. They started to make their way towards the house on the hill.

 

The girls hovered outside the large gates, small hands clutching the large bars.

“You know some people say that monsters live there.”

Sunmi snorted at her fellow Girl Scout “Do you really think monsters would live in a house like this??”

Eunah stared at the large house, mostly painted glaring white, with charming pink trim “No.. I guess not.”

They swung open the large gates, wandering up to the front door, Sunmi taking the lead, rapping on the pink painted front door.

It swung open to reveal a man, brown hair swept back off his face and a sense of style even the girl’s grandparents would find outdated.

He sighed as he took in their outfits, the boxes piled in a cart beside them “Seokjin, it’s for you.”

He appeared, dressed in a much more modern fashion. He was absolutely beautiful, smiling at the two girls in delight. They stared up at him in awe.

“We are sorry to disturb you sir, but we are from the Girl Scouts of Korea, and we were wondering if you’d like to buy some cookies? They will help us achieve our goals in comm-”

“Do you have the chocolate ones???”

“Uh.. yes?” Eunah motioned towards the cart.

“I’ll take them.”

The beautiful man disappeared indoors as the girls stared at each other perplexed, before the door swung open again, Jin leaning down to check the label of each box, selecting three cardboard boxes full of packets of biscuits, placing them on the floor beside him.

He looked expectantly at the two girls “Well.. how much do I owe you??”

 

Jin watched the two girls wheel their cart down the hill before hefting the boxes into his arms, carrying them into the kitchen.

“You didn’t.”

Jaehwan had never considered his kind could eat the food of humans. But in 87 years Jin had proved him wrong constantly.

“Have you ever had these?” Jin knew he had, Jin saw him try one for the first time, saw him realise that his sense of taste is heightened. “They’re so good Jaehwan!!”

Jin opened a package and offered it to Jaehwan, smirking as he snatched a treat from the plastic tray.

“I regret turning you.”

Jin let out a squeaky laugh at that, fingers massaging the bite marks on his neck instinctually

“No you don’t.”

“No, I don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we're here.. I appreciate everyone who stuck with me through this journey.. and I hope the ending wasn't too disappointing.. I'm not great at drama and I really wrote this for me, I wanted them to be happy!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first non-OC fic so I have no idea if this is any good or not but I can't believe nobody writes about Kenjin! I'm so into them.
> 
> I took MAJOR liberties in order to just write SOMETHING with a real plot, please be kind!


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